This Dairy-Free Coconut Frozen Custard recipe is adapted from a recipe that was originally shared with us by the online Thai supermarket, ImportFood.com many years ago. They actually call it Thai Ice Cream, due to the pure coconut influence. But we call it frozen custard due to the ingredients and preparation.
Dairy-Free Coconut Frozen Custard: No Ice Cream Maker Required!
What makes this recipe frozen custard? Ice cream is made from milk and cream, but frozen custard is made with milk, cream, and eggs. This provides a richer, more emulsified consistency. Also, ice cream is typically churned with an ice cream maker, which whips in more air to give the frozen dessert a lighter mouthfeel. But frozen custard is made with a method that doesn’t incorporate much air, so it’s denser.
Because home ice cream makers don’t churn as much air into ice cream as commercial ones, you can churn this mixture in an ice cream maker if desired. It will still have that nice, dense consistency of rich frozen custard.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Coconut Frozen Custard
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.
For an egg-free and vegan version, enjoy this Basic Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe. If you confuse eggs with dairy, you are not alone. See this post: Are Eggs Dairy?
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
- 2 cups full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
- 1 cup coconut milk beverage (can sub water or another milk beverage)
- 2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rosewater (optional)
- Pinch salt
- Sauté the coconut in a skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted.
- Heat the coconut milk or cream and coconut milk beverage in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until hot but not boiling. This should take just a few minutes.
- In a small bowl beat the eggs and yolks. Gently whisk in the sugar, vanilla or rosewater, and salt.
- Transfer the egg mixture to a double boiler over gently boiling water. Slowly whisk in the hot coconut milk, stirring until the mixture thickens to form a continuous slightly sticky coat on the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Stir in the toasted coconut.
- Transfer the mixture to a metal ice cream tray or similar container and place it in the coldest part of the freezer for 1 hour.
- Remove to a food processor and beat slowly until smooth. Pack the soft ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze until set.
Enjoy More Frozen Treats without an Ice Cream Maker
Pineapple Orange Sorbet without an Ice Cream Machine
4 Ways to Make Dairy-Free Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
Vegan Strawberry Basil Creamsicles
4 Comments
This looks amazing. The last time I tried making non dairy ice cream it froze into a brick and was not scoopable at all. I hope this one remains creamy. Also, would using maple syrup instead of sugar give me the same effect?
Maple syrup should work fine as long as you use at least the amount called for, and as long as you like maple and coconut together! The two staple components that help to soften ice cream are sugar and fat. Without enough of both, it will set up more hard. So don’t skimp on the sweetener. Also, egg yolks help to emulsify and soften a bit. You can also add a little alcohol (like rum). Alcohol doesn’t freeze, so it also helps to soften ice cream. And finally, churning will create a less dense result. So feel free to churn this in an ice cream maker if you have one.
Do I use just the thick cream portion to canned coconut milk? Or should I stir the contents of the can all together and use that to make 2 cups?
You can do either. If you want it creamier, just use the cream. If you don’t want it as coconutty, stir and use all. If you don’t want any waste, but want it creamier, you can use it stirred, and use more coconut milk in place of the coconut milk beverage, if that makes sense 🙂 With ice cream, I personally use the whole can, not just the cream portion.